Son Goku in Summation
by ProjectSynapse
Summary: At the end of the series, characters including Vegeta, Bulma, Gohan and Chi Chi reflect on Goku's influence on their lives. Canon couples, and for the most part, canon relationships.
1. The Orphan Boy Who Changed My Life

**This is a short series of reflections. Each chapter is a character's explanation of their perception of Goku. All the reflections are taking place directly after the ending of the series. I'm not sure if I want to add in the part about him leaving. I suppose I'll see where the characters' feelings take me as I go on. **

**I will be doing about 5-10 characters, and I am _open for requests_. Right now, I have Gohan and Vegeta almost completed and I intend on adding a few others. This is a bit of an excersise for me, trying to feel out each person's mind and how they would feel toward the protagonist of the series. Hopefully everyone enjoys this. **

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**Son Goku in Summation**

_The Orphan Boy Who Changed My Life - Bulma_

You know, it's funny. I always did like to think of myself as the brains of our little outfit. Oolong was the pervert, Goku was the dim-witted muscles, and I was the gorgeous scientist who kept our whole party together through my clever incisiveness. Frustratingly, though, as time went on I could see that he usually had his head on straight in situations that had me screaming my head off and running around in circles.

I mean, when you really think about it - who was the smart one when it came to making decisions? Well, I guess I'm pretty well-off, and I'm certainly happy with my life, but it took me a lot longer to get there, and it definitely wasn't a stress-free ride, I'll tell you that much. When I was old enough to start looking for a man, I immediately set out to get one. I used my brains to create a device to help me find the dragonballs, and I was certain that I would accomplish my goal. But my confidence more often than not proved to be my downfall. I would lead us into trouble over selfish things, and I would expect Goku to get us out of the situation. And he always did.

So, when it came to being happy in a relationship, I started early and finished late, all because of my high-strung temperance. What about Goku? Oh, he just had to live his life and eventually a wonderful woman named Chi Chi showed up and took care of him for the rest of his life. How convenient.

I guess you could say I was a little jealous. In fact, I might even be still, to this day. Goku's always had it easy. He never had to go to school, or get a job, or try out the dating scene…he was charmed from day one. I guess when your whole species goes kablowie you tend to end up with some excess good karma.

But then again, who am I to complain about living a charmed life? I was practically born with a silver spoon in my own mouth. The only thing I had to worry about was boys. And worry I did. Constantly. They were the only thing on my mind when I wasn't engineering the next technological wonder of the world. I suppose if I hadn't been so preoccupied with getting a boyfriend, I would have had the time to worry about the welfare of the little tyke I had taken in. I practically adopted Goku and to this day I do not remember ever giving it a second thought. People might wonder how I took on the challenge of raising a little boy all on my own when Vegeta practically abandoned Trunks and me, but they forget - it wasn't my first time. Granted, I wasn't changing diapers back then, but it certainly wasn't a walk in the park.

The fact that I took care (emotionally more so than physically, considering he didn't need much help in that department) of Goku since he was a little guy, I suppose might have been the reason I was so apt to ignoring my feelings of attraction for him. He had been like a brother to me since the moment we met, so when he showed up at the 23rd world martial arts tournament after we hadn't seen him for years looking very…developed…well, I can't deny that some sparks didn't fly. At least, for me. Something that was inherently attractive about him (as much as I hated it) was that he was obviously not in the least bit attracted to me. By that time, I was old enough and experienced enough to know that I was not the kind of girl boys walk by without taking a second look. So the fact that Goku treated me as one of the guys was both infuriating to me, and in a way, refreshing. Yamcha certainly didn't pay me that kind of respect. Or…well…obliviousness. I like to think of it as respect.

So, yes, I have had feelings of attraction for Son Goku. It's somewhat hard not to. But of course, it was nothing more than a silly little crush. A crush which slowly melted into a glowing adoration for the man we all loved, as I had always suspected it would.

With this in mind, I was genuinely happy that he and Chi Chi found each other. Especially since that meant that I didn't have to worry about him being taken care of anymore. Yes, I know, it was silly of me to think that he couldn't take care of himself. He's always been completely capable of feeding and clothing and defending himself. Still, I can't say that I didn't worry about him when he was gone for all those years training. So it was nice to know that his life from then on out would be grounded. Or at least, I had thought it would be.

Which brings me to the part where we all found out he was an alien. It was an Earth-shatteringly huge revelation, yes, but at the same time, it explained so much about him that we had all always wondered that it didn't actually seem to be that much of a stretch. He had obviously always been different in mind and body than the rest of us. So it seemed fitting, in a really weird sort of way. I suppose that's why we all adapted to the idea so quickly without a second thought. It seemed almost natural.

So, I don't really need to explain what happened after that. There were battles won and lost and bad guys thwarted and new friends met, but the most important thing I think Son Goku ever did for me was bring me a husband. If it hadn't been for Goku, I never would have even considered letting Vegeta stay with me. Sure, I had always been fearless, but the way that Goku had always adopted old enemies as new friends had somewhat rubbed off on me. Of course, it didn't exactly hurt that the Saiyan was drop-dead gorgeous.

We were both reluctant. We were both stubborn. And that's what made us so perfect. We were meant to be together, and Goku was almost like our little cupid. No matter how many times Vegeta had tried to kill him, Goku always gave him a second chance. And it was Goku's forgiving nature that gave me the courage to do the same. Without Goku, I can say with some assurance that I wouldn't be the happily married woman I am today. It seemed that Goku had given everyone who had ever been his friend some gift that they would treasure for the rest of their lives. For Yamcha, it was the ability to be happy without a girl, and focus on his martial arts. For Tien it was the lesson on how to be a good friend that kept his relationship strong with Chiaotzu. For Master Roshi, it was the joy of having a student surpass even his abilities and still thirst for more. For Chi Chi, it was her two beautiful children. And for me, it was the love of a proud Saiyan prince.

Once, in the darkness of the night and the safety of our bedroom, Vegeta admitted to me that he was grateful for the "clown". He said that without Goku (or "Kakarot", as he likes to call him - which I think is adorable, but could never point out to him) he would never have learned to do the most important thing he had done in his life; He had learned how to love me.

That night, I cried, and I thanked Kami for sending me such a wonderful friend.

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	2. Victory At Last!

**Yes, that's right. It's the Vegeta chapter. **

**I hope you all enjoy this, and understand the feelings I hope to convey through Vegeta. I tried to keep him as in-character as possible, while taking into account the amount of time which has passed. This is supposed to take place some time after the Buu saga, so much has probably changed since then. **

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**Son Goku in Summation**

_Victory At Last! -Vegeta_

It's hard not to hate a man who knows your deepest secrets. Generally, it's hard not to hate _yourself _when you remember all the mistakes you've made. All the lies you've told; the secrets you've kept…

the children you've killed…

But it's quite easily dealt with. For some time, at least. One of the most difficult transitions between childhood and adulthood involves looking yourself in the mirror and for the first time, ignoring the man behind your eyes and learning to regard yourself only on a skin-deep level. After all, it's true what they say. Beauty is only skin-deep. It's a wise Earthling saying; If people were judged for what lies beneath the skin, we would only be referring to one another based on varying degrees of ugliness.

But I digress. Essentially, it's hard to approve of the person you've become when no one else does. I was the prince of a dead race. A royal fool. I lived for honor and bloodshed, and more often than not the two were intertwined. Ironically, it wasn't until I was dying that my life came to its most defining crossroads. I was forced to choose which was more important to me; my own Saiyan pride, or the pride of the Saiyan race.

And so, as I made the choice to articulate my deepest emotions toward Kakarot, effectively ending my life-long passion for protecting my inner feelings, I cried. No one, including him, would ever know that it was the first time I had cried in front of another person in my life. Fitting that it should be a means of manipulation. Granted, the manipulation was for the greater good and my feelings were true, but still…it was a means for me to influence the fight in any way that I could more than it ever was a release of my own self-pity or an expression of the pain I was feeling.

Years of deep loathing and frustration that only a slave can understand were poured out onto the battlefield, all in an effort to influence the last remaining member of my race. I still wonder today if my father would be overwhelmed with pride or shame at my final moments there on the alien planet.

Then again, it's hard to decide which one I myself feel about it. After all, the prince of a warrior race should be regarded as ruthless and cunning and nothing more nor less. But ruthlessness includes doing whatever is necessary to win a battle. And on that day, I won a battle for my race. Or more specifically, Kakarot won a battle for his races. It was the true beginning of my hatred for him.

It is difficult to explain the feelings I had toward the man who buried me. When I arrived on Earth shortly after learning that he had achieved what I had spent my whole life striving for, it was hard for me to decide whether I was overjoyed at the imminent defeat of Frieza or engulfed in the infuriating knowledge that I had died at his hands nonetheless. It was obvious to everyone why I immediately decided to pick a fight with his brat. After all, the child was the only member of our species whom I could still beat in combat. It was irrelevant to me that he was a half-breed at that moment. What was more important was his relation to Kakarot.

I wanted his son to hate me. I wanted him to feel the same futility; the same vain loathing that I had suffered through as a young warrior. At that time, there was nothing more significant than making Gohan feel about his father the same way that I had about mine. Only…he couldn't. Because Kakarot was nothing like my father. At the end of the battle, we all knew that he would return victorious. But my father…well, he would never return at all. I was jealous - insanely so - that my father would never receive the same hero's welcome that Kakarot had.

To this day, I don't know if I can fully understand why I didn't instead love Kakarot. By all rights, he should have replaced my father and been embraced into our race by me, the only other member. I _know_ why I hated him. I know the factors that led to it, and I know myself well enough. But I just don't _understand_ why all of his friends loved him, and yet I, a member of his own race, could not bring myself to do the same. I am his prince, after all. Why could I not be satisfied with ruling the strongest fighter in the universe? Why did I have to become him?

Perhaps I could blame my upbringing. Being a preteen in one of the most elite fighting squadrons in the universe tends to burden one with a bit of an ego. And being a prince didn't help, I suppose. I was entitled…no, _encouraged_ to be arrogant. Perhaps it was the fact that Kakarot should have been arrogant, and yet for reasons I could not understand, he wasn't. Maybe that was what I hated about him. At the time, I was too blinded by rage to fully understand it, so now, years later, I honestly cannot comprehend fully what I was feeling then.

What I do know well are what my feelings are toward the man now. They have changed much over the years, and finally have settled into a definitive emotion. As illogical as it may sound, I feel victorious. And to some degree, I feel relieved. It took me years to get there, but I finally came to terms with his power being much greater than my own. For that, I am thankful. But more than anything, yes, I feel quite victorious over Kakarot.

There is a simple reason behind it, as well. _I_ know when to quit. _I _know when to finally give up. It may have taken me much longer than the average person to do it, but the average person doesn't have royal Saiyan blood. But finally, after years of tormenting myself…I knew when to quit. And it wasn't a moment too soon. Because I came to terms with my past and my status, my present did not have the opportunity to slip away from me.

I am now the father of two beautiful children, and I have performed the Earthlings' ceremony of bondage with a woman whom I can with some certainty consider to be the most attractive, the most caring, and the most entertaining one I have ever met. I live in a house with them. I eat meals with them. I train my son, and I protect my daughter. I have even attended ballet recitals (an experience I wouldn't recommend to anyone, save my worst enemy). My children have grown strong and if nothing else, they know that they can rely on their father.

The point I illustrate here is that, unfortunately, Kakarot's offspring can not say the same concerning theirs. Yes, he surpassed me on the battlefield. But at what cost did this come to him? Yes, he was blessed with a family who cares about him and a life without much worry outside of the arena. But in order to protect them, he has taken himself away from them at every turn.

When Uub appeared, it had been years since any one of us had done any serious training. Upkeep, of course, but not much improvement was made. So when Goku pointed the boy out to me, I was more than surprised. I had all but forgotten the story he had told me about the reincarnation. In fact, I had made a point to do so, since I hadn't taken it seriously in the least. But here he was, standing before me. I should have known by then not to underestimate Kakarot in anything he did.

However, when he came to say goodbye and told his family that he was leaving, I can not say that I was surprised. It was completely within his nature, but at the moment it was surreal. I had known that Kakarot was hoping for his son to surpass him and become the Earth's protector, but since his plan had fallen through, he had been looking for a replacement.

He would have his family believe that this was the end of it. He would have them think that they were the only thing on his mind, and his training was only out of love and protection. But when he left with the reincarnated boy, I could see his Saiyan side coming into play. He lusted for bloodshed, and it had been too long for him since he had had any real sparring challenges. When he left that day, it was to train someone to take his place, yes, but it was also a means to escape the trap that every day life had enclosed him in and return to old feelings of thrill in battle.

I lost one family. Once I learned to put all other desires aside, I knew that I could not make the same mistake with my new one. Kakarot, however, seemed to never have learned this lesson. He would always put his own desires before that of his family's and for that he will always remain a child. Therefore, he may be the strongest warrior in existence, but he will always be a clown to me. And that is why I, the Prince of all Saiyans, will forever remain victorious.

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